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Weight Loss Happens the Moment You Don’t Give Up

By Tony Schober, CPT

How many times have you busted your butt in the gym and in the kitchen, only to step on the scale and not see your weight change one single bit? Maybe it even went up some! What gives?

Weight Loss is Not a Straight Line

First off, get rid of that scale – it’s worthless. Use these 10 ways to effectively measure weight loss progress instead. However, if you’re dead set on using the scale, you need to understand that weight loss does not occur in a straight line. You could be doing everything right. You could be weight training several times a week. You could be doing cardio on your off days. You could have your diet perfect.

Even with all the stars aligned, your weight might not change for weeks at a time. But doesn’t 3500 calories equal a pound? If I eat 500 calories less each day, should I lose a pound a week? In theory, that is true. However, in practice, that’s just not the case. Your metabolism is a unique individual. It has a mind of its own. It will drop the weight when it’s ready, but not a minute before then. So, when is it ready to let the fat go?

Weight Loss Happens the Moment You Don’t Give Up

That’s how it works. You push and push and obsess over the scale because it’s not moving. You begin to question why you even try, if all your hard work is for nothing. Then, that moment comes – the moment of truth. Do you throw in the towel, or do you continue pushing forward? The majority of people throw in the towel, and that’s unfortunate, because if they were to have just given it another day, that scale would have been their friend again.

The moral of the story? Don’t give up. If you know you’re doing everything right, keep on doing it. Eventually, the weight is going to come off. You can’t obsess over the scale. Your weight loss over the course of months is going to be one big zig-zag from point A to point B. However, point B is always going to be lower than A if you are doing everything right.

Many people think that they should step on the scale every day, and it should be less than the day before. They believe that points A and B should be connected with a ruler – not going to happen.

Be patient. Be consistent. Push through the moment of quitting. Success will follow.

I’ve been in that place so many times during the past 2 years. I always lose 5 lbs and then plateau, then lose 5 lbs again, followed by another plateau. The plateaus last from a few weeks to half a year, depending on what I’m doing in between. I’ve never had steady, gradual, weight loss, it always comes in big drops. Looking back though, there was a huge decrease. I managed to lose 50lbs in the past 2 years, and hoping for 25 more during the next 12 months.
For anyone who is in this situation, Tony is right, don’t give up. Keep doing the right things and fat loss will follow.

anna pry

thanks for the boost, i made it just a little farther in my workout than usual because i kept saying, one more minute, one more minute…and kept on going

Jeannette Laframboise

Great post and how very true. We all get so fixated on results all the time and the moment there doesn’t seem to be much progress, it gets very frustrating. Honestly, I have not been on a scale in over a year…yes a whole year. I got to the point where it just didn’t matter and I found I have been more successful that way. Whether it be training, watching your diet or just about everything in life, just do it! Geesh now I sound like Nike…

Debbie R

Exactly! Getting over this hump is so hard!

Thanks for the motivation!!!

http://www.110pounds.com Lisa

YES!!!! Be patient, be consistent! KEEP AT IT!!!!

It took me about 16 months to lose 110 pounds. There were MANY times during that process where I got stuck. Plateaus are hard but I was so focused and determined to reach my goal that I wasn’t going to quit. Even though the plateaus were frustrating, I got through them by doing what was working.

Nadine

I really needed this hear/see this today! Thanks Coach! I’ve had ups and downs in the past few months but I have not given up. I’m down 21 lbs…slowly but surely, I have traded my lifestyle for a healthier, fitter and more energetic one